Started Three Posts, Finished This One ...

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So today I started a book post, figured I'd go back to France and see what Guillaume was up to, then decided, "Nah, I need to spin out the Norwegian thread first, then we'll get back to France."

I dillied, I dallied, I zigged, and I zagged - before you know it, I was playing, "Oh dear, is that the time?"

That's when the Motivation Gauge bottomed out and kept going. So what I did, with all that back and forth indecisiveness, was basically I stripped out a screw head somewhere in my brain.

Uh, what?

Okay, an example. Below you see the radar package of the mighty F-4D Phantom II. The radar package is extended (damme, I can still name all the parts and could probably dismount them in my sleep, not that I've ever done that before) and Panel 4L has been removed which is the only way to remove the CW¹ Modulator. If you're an old WCS² gorilla, you'll note that said modulator has indeed been removed.

Note the yellow arrow (which Panel 4L is below), the little dot it points to is a screw hole, there were a gazillion of them on Panel 4L. The screws used to affix the panel were made of brass. One had to use care in removing them, or securing them.

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If you did not, you could strip the head of the screw, making it a pain in the ass, if not downright impossible for your average gorilla to remove with a speed handle. Below is an illustration of a speed handle. It lets you screw things in and screw things out quickly. (Did I mention it also allows you to screw things up quickly as well? No? I should have ...)

No, we didn't use a powered drill, many bad things could happen ...

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Anyhoo, once one (or more, usually more) screw heads were found to be stripped (uh, uh, wasn't me Sarge, I swear it came in this way ...), the Sheet Metal shop would have to be called in order to get the screw out. They were very good at that task. I don't know why I never watched them do that, I might have learned something. Then again, that would be one more job I'd have to do, if I knew how.

Have I ever mentioned that I'm lazy?

Left to right: good screw - uh, slow down cowboy - put down the speed handle - damn it, somebody call the sheet metal shop
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Anyhoo, in the attempt to write a book post, which became two book posts, I must have stripped a screw somewhere in my brain.

I've got a call in to the Sheet Metal shop, no doubt they'll have that fixed tomorrow.

One hopes ...

¹ CW (Continuous Wave) Modulator, basically modulates the continuous wave energy transmitted by (you guessed it) the CW Transmitter, which is what the Aim-7 Sparrow missile rides to the target. The receiver for that energy is located in the nose of the missile, radiation reflects off the intended target, missile detects it, missile chases it, enemy airplane goes boom. Hopefully.

² WCS = Weapon Control System, a gorilla is the individual who works upon said system. Had something to do with the ability to lift heavy things and the propensity to drag one's knuckles along the ramp while they (me too) walked from Phantom to Phantom. Fixing things and annoying the other maintenance types. Aircrew were advised not to feed us or to make eye contact. Not saying we were aggressive, well, yes I am.